The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-11-26
Correspondence Baltimore County Union
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

TINE STEAM ENGINE IN METEoRoLoGY.
An English observer recommends the locomo-
tive as q cheap hygrometer for farmers and others
living near railroads. When the escaping steam
remains long suspended, the air is near its point
of saturation with moisture; but when the
steam quickly disappears, as if swallowed up, the
weather is dry, and thereis little prospect of rain
"0n warm summer day." writes this author, 81
have seen passenger train ascending gradient
under full pressure without giving the least sign
of its motion, allowing the least trace of steam
to escape At other times the cloud of steam was
ten or twelve feet in length in certain cases 1t
was as long as the train itself and in very
damp weather it extended way beyond the rear of
the train"
ELEMENTS OF MAN.
Chemically considered man is composed of
thirteen elements-fve being gases and eight
solids. In man weighing l54 pounds, the oxy-
gen, according TO French authority, weighs 81
pounds, hydrogen 10 pounds, nitrogen nearly
pounds, chlorine about 26 ounces, aud fuerine st
ounces. He is therefore made up chiefly of gases,
which in a free state would occupy about 1000
cubic feet of space. Carbon and calcium represent
the bulk of the solids; the phosphorus, sulphur,
potassium, sodium and iron weighing only from
II to 26 ounces each.
A CURATIVE sEDATIvE.
The substitution of antipyrin for morphine in
the treatment of pain is advocated by Prof. Ger
main See the eminent French pathologist. The
advantages claimed are that antigyrin gives rise
neither to vertigo nor to vomiting; that it does
not produce somnOlence nor an abnormal craving
for the drug and that it adds curative action
to its pain -deadening effect.
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS.
OF the alloys of aluminium, the series formed
with copper, and known aluminium bronze, are
the most important. The alloy containing 80 per
cent, of copper and 10 of aluminium is the most
prominent of these and was discovered as long
ago as 1856 by DR.. John Percy. 1t has a deep
golden color, specific gravity of III. and can be
shaped at a red heat and hammered until cold
without cracking. The alloys change to white in
color when the proportion of aluminium reaches
about 20 per cent
woRLD-TME.
We imagine says Flammarion, that we ascend
very high into the past when We behold the an
cient pyramids still standing on the plains of
Egypt, the obelisks covered with mysterious
hieroglyphics, the silent temdles of Asia, the an
tique pagodas of India, the idols of Mexico and
Peru the secular traditions of Asia and of our
Aryan ancestors, the instruments of the age OF
stone, the arms cut from slick, the arrows, the
spears, the knives the rasps and the stone stings
of our primitive barbarism. We hardly dare to
speak of 10, 900, of 900 years. But even if We
should admit 100000 years as the age of orr
species slowly progressive, what would that
be at the side of the apparently fabulous accGmu-
laton of centuries which have preceded us in the
history of the planet? Allowing but 100 600 years
to the quaternary age (the existing age), we see
that the tertiary period must have lasted 300 600
years. the secondary 100000 years, the primary
nearly 5000, 900, and primordial more than 5OO0-
900 years. What is this history of life to the total
history of the globe, which has required 100000
600 years for the earth to solidify, while its ex
terror temperature was descending to 200 degrees ?
And how many millions shall we need to add, to
represent the time which has elapsed between the
temperature of 200 degrees and that of 20 degrees,
the probable maximum of organic life The study
of worlds opens to in the order of time horizons
as immense as those which open to US in the order
of space; it causes US to think of eternity as we
think of the infinite.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mr.. W. A. Ashe, of Quebec, reports that the
Eskimos living near Hudson Strait have a mean
height for the men of 5 feet SO inches; and for
the women, about feet. Their body temperature
averaged 1902 degrees for winter and 9S.4 de-
grees for summer that of the observing party be-
ing 9S.1 degrees and 97.7 degrees respectively.
1t is curious fact that rats select ivory for the
best billiard balls. The rats gnaw elephants
tusks which have the most gelatine, and as such
are especially chosen by the makers of fine balls.
A recent observer of sunfowers attributes their
antimalorial action to their accredited properties
of absorbing maarial germs, and emitting much
oxygen. During June, 1885, quarter of an acre
of sunhowers exhaled in the form of vapor an
average of sixty five gallons of water daily.
pointed out by quite a number of ASTRONOMERS
The data ON which such conclusion is based
have been thoroughly Investigated by Prof
Auwers, who finds the supposed changes to have
been only apparent, and result of temperature
effect on the instrument or of difference In the
suns telescope appearance at different seasons
A Berlin electrician, A Siemens, finds that the
injury to the tropical plants in the Cars Winter
Palace, at st. Petersburg, was result of cold and
neglect, and not, as reported, Of the influence Of
the electric lights.
The Royal Scientific Society of Upsala finds
that, in Sweden summer clouds most common
at heights of $500 and $500 feet. During the
summers of 1884 and 1885 the highest cloud OBJ
served 1900 feet, or nearly eight miles
above the earth's surface.
An International Exhibition of Science and In
dustry will be opened in Brussels next May
Premiums of the value of l000 900 will be awarded
and 5000 600 worth of articles will be bought for
prizes in Government lottery.